-Vaux.—On .the Probable Origin of the Maort Races. il 
of the extraordinary antiquity of the last living Moa cannot be maintained; 
indced, considering the velemence with which the antiquarian theory has 
heen urged, it is not a little remarkable that the first to discover its remains 
(Bishop Williams and the late Rev. R. Taylor in 1839) stated their beliefs 
at the time that the actual extinction of the bird was quite recent ; a view, 
in which they were subsequently energetically supported by Mr. Walter 
Mantell (the son of the well-known geologist), himself, at once, by far the 
greatest collector of Moa remains, and the person to whom, more than to 
any one else, all the Museums in Europe have been indebted for the speci- 
mens they now possess. Elaborate examinations of the districts or indivi- 
dual spots either where bones have been accidentally discovered or theoreti- 
cally guessed at, as those most likely to prove rich in such relics,* have 
since been carried out and discovered by Drs. Haast, Hector, Captain 
Hutton, Messrs. Murison, Booth, and others, the result being, the discovery 
of many portions of these birds, with not only their skin and muscles 
adhering to their bones, but even their feathers, a combination which could 
not have been preserved, had not the destruction of these individual birds, 
at least, been quite modern. In the course of these researches, I may add, 
* See the following papers :— 
Mantell, W. B. D., “‘Quar. Jour. Geo. Soc.,” and “ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. I. 
Haast, Julius, F.R.S., On Moa Hunters and Moas, “ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. L., p. 
80; Vol. IV., p. 66 and p. 102; Vol. VI., p. 62 and p. 419; Vol. VIL, p. 54. 
Hector, Dr. J., F.R.S., Discoveries of Moa Remains, ‘‘ Zool. Proc.,” 1867; ‘* Trans. 
N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. IV., p. 110; Vol. V., p. 407; Vol. VI., p. 76 and p. 370. 
—— W. D., On Moa Remains, ‘‘ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. IV., pp. 120-4. 
Williams, W. L., On Footprints of a Large Bird, “‘ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. IV., pp. 
124-7. 
Mantell, W. B. D., On Moa Beds, “ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. V., oe 94-97. 
Grey, Sir Geo., On the Hokioi, ‘‘ Trans, N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. V 
Taylor, Rev. J. R., On the First Discovery of Moa Remains, nee N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. 
V., pp. 97-101 ; 
Fraser, Captain, On Earnscleugh Cave Remains, “ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. V., pp. 
102-105. 
Hutton, Captain, F.G.S., ‘ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. V., p. 138 and p. 266. 
M‘Kay, Alex., On Moa Hunters, “ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. VIL., p. 98 
Booth, J., Moa Swamps, ‘“ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. VIL, p. 123. 
Hamilton, J. W., Traditions of Moas, ‘‘ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. VIL, p. 121. 
Goodall, J.,—he thinks, quoting Hochstetter, p. 210, that there was an antecedent 
population—* Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. VIL., p. 144 
Stack, Rev. J. W., who holds that there is no evidence of Moa in the N. Z. poems col- 
lected by Sir G. Grey in his article, “ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. IV., No. 5; Append 
XXVIL.-IX., Vol. VII. 
Roberts, W. H. S., Evidence of Modern Arts, ‘ Trans. N. Z. Inst.,” Vol. VIL, p. 548, 
